9. 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Director Joe Johnston, a throwback to the traditional of the humble studio craftsman, spent his career as an art director for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas before making the almost aggressively down-scaled, cog-like "Jurassic Park III," "The Rocketeer" and "Hidalgo." But modesty was once a benchmark of a genre. A thoughtful filmmaker honoring craft, wringing the sublime from hoary limitations, actually enjoying the conventions of dumb material, lent resonance with an audience.

Director Joe Johnston, a throwback to the traditional of the humble studio craftsman, spent his career as an art director for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas before making the almost aggressively down-scaled, cog-like "Jurassic Park III," "The Rocketeer" and "Hidalgo." But modesty was once a benchmark of a genre. A thoughtful filmmaker honoring craft, wringing the sublime from hoary limitations, actually enjoying the conventions of dumb material, lent resonance with an audience.

Director Joe Johnston, a throwback to the traditional of the humble studio craftsman, spent his career as an art director for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas before making the almost aggressively down-scaled, cog-like "Jurassic Park III," "The Rocketeer" and "Hidalgo." But modesty was once a benchmark of a genre. A thoughtful filmmaker honoring craft, wringing the sublime from hoary limitations, actually enjoying the conventions of dumb material, lent resonance with an audience.